Agastache plant named ‘Kiegador’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of  Agastache  plant named ‘Kiegador’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and open plant habit; freely basal branching growth habit; numerous orange-colored flowers positioned close together on erect flowering spikes; and good garden performance.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Agastache mexicana cultivar Kiegador.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Agastache plant, botanically known as Agastache mexicana, commercially known as Hyssop, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Kiegador’.

The new Agastache is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Venhuizen, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Agastaches with improved plant habit and flowering characteristics and attractive flower coloration.

The new Agastache originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2001 of a proprietary seedling selection of Agastache mexicana identified as code number 97(0988), not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with a proprietary seedling selection of Agastache mexicana identified as code number 97(0026), not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. The new Agastache was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny of the cross-pollination by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Venhuizen, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings in a controlled environment in Venhuizen, The Netherlands since 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Agastache are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Kiegador have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and culture such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Kiegador’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Kiegador’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Agastache:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and open plant habit.     -   2. Freely basal branching growth habit.     -   3. Numerous orange-colored flowers positioned close together on         erect flowering spikes.     -   4. Good garden performance.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Venhuizen, The Netherlands, plants of the new Agastache differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Agastache were taller than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Agastache and the female parent selection         differed in flower color as plants of the female parent         selection had light pink-colored flowers.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Venhuizen, The Netherlands, plants of the new Agastache differed from plants of the male parent selection primarily in flower color as plants of the male parent selection had dark salmon pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Agastache can be compared to plants of the cultivar Champagne, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Venhuizen, The Netherlands, plants of the new Agastache and the cultivar Champagne differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Agastache had darker green-colored foliage         than plants of the cultivar Champagne.     -   2. Plants of the new Agastache and the cultivar Champagne         differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Champagne had         pink orange-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Agastache.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Kiegador’. The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Kiegador’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Lompoc, Calif., under commercial practice during the winter in a polycarbonate-covered greenhouse with day temperatures about 21 to 24° C., night temperatures about 16 to 18° C. and light levels about 5,000 to 9,000 foot-candles. Plants were grown with one rooted cutting per 15.25-cm container for about eleven weeks. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Agastache mexicana cultivar Kiegador. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Agastache mexicana identified as code number 97(0988), not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Agastache mexicana identified as code number 97(0026), not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About two weeks at 21° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About three weeks at 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Upright, outwardly spreading and open plant habit.             Freely basal branching with about six primary lateral             branches and numerous secondary branches. Moderately             vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 27 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 35 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 29 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Internode length: About 5 cm. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:             About 3.3 cm. Width: About 2.3 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex:             Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: When developing, entire;             fully expanded, crenate. Aspect: Mostly flat. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern:             Pinnate, arcuate. Petiole length: About 6 mm. Petiole             diameter: About 1 mm. Color: Developing foliage, upper             surface: 137A. Developing foliage, lower surface: 147B.             Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A. Fully expanded             foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper surface: 146B.             Venation, lower surface: 147C. Petiole, upper and lower             surfaces: 146B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Numerous single bilabiate flowers             arranged in verticillasters arranged in axillary spikes.             Individual flowers face mostly outward. Freely flowering             with about 73 flowers and flower buds per spike. Flowers not             persistent.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower throughout the             summer, flowering continuous during this period.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About five to seven days.         -   Fragrance.—Very faint; spicy sweet.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 3.75 cm.         -   Inflorescence width.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Zygomorphic; bilabiate. Length: About             3.5 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Shape: Elongated oblong. Color: 168A.         -   Corolla.—Petal arrangement/appearance: Bilabiate; five             petals, upper two petals fused and lower three petals fused,             all five petals fused at base into a tubular structure.             Petal length: Upper petals, lobes: About 3 mm. Lower petals,             lobes: About 5 mm. Petal width: Upper petals, lobes: About             3 mm. Lower petals, lobes: About 5 mm. Petal apex: Broadly             acute. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Finely pubescent; satiny. Petal color: When             opening, upper surface: 31C. When opening, lower surface:             32C. Fully opened, upper surface: 32C; color becoming closer             to 39B with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Upper             lip, 32C; lower lip, 34C.         -   Calyx.—Quantity/arrangement: One single calyx tube per             flower; five fused sepals. Length: About 8 mm. Diameter:             About 2.5 mm. Shape: Tubular. Apex: Acute. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Slightly darker than 195A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 10 cm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle: About 45° from vertical. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: 146A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Angle: About 45 to 60° from             vertical. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Four.             Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther             color: 50A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 155A.             Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             3.4 cm. Style length: About 3.1 mm. Style color: 155D.             Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: 54A. Ovary color:             145B.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed nor fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Agastache have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Agastache. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Agastache have been observed     to have good garden performance and to be tolerant to rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from 5 to 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Agastache plant named ‘Kiegador’, as illustrated and described. 